The Man of Law's Tale
Folio 45r
3 of 16 folios
But who was woful if I shal not lye
Of this weddyng but domagild and namo
The kynges moder ful of tyrannye
Hir thought hir cursed hert brast a two
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She wold not hir son had do so
Hir thought a despite that he sholde take
So straunge a creature vnto his make .
Me list not of the chaf or of the stree
Maken so longe a tale as of the corn
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What shold I tellen of the royaltee
At mariages or which cours gooth biforn
Who bloweth in the trumpe or in a horn
The fruyte of euery tale is for to seye
Thei ete and drynke and daunce and synge and pleye
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Thei goon to bedde as it was skyle and ryght
For though that wyues be ful holy thynges
Thei moste take in paciens at nyght
Swich maner necessaryes as ben plesynges
To folk that han I wedded hem wyth rynges
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And ley alyte hir holynesse a side
As for the tyme it may no bet bityde
On hir he gate a knaue child anon
And to a bysshop and his constable eke
He took his wyf to kepe whan he is goon
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To Scotlandward his foomen for to seke
Now fair Custance that is so humble and meke
So longe is goon wyth child til that stylle
She halt hir chambre abydyng cristes wille
The tyme is come a knaue child she beer
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Mauricius at the fonston thei him calle
This constable doth forth come a messanger
And wroot vn to his kyng that cleped was alle
How that this blisful tydyng is bifalle
And other tydynges speedful for to seye
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He hath the lettre and forth he goth his weye